1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a garment, and more particularly, to a skirt or wrap to be worn around the waist by a surfer which allows the surfer to put on and take off the lower portion of a wet suit, on the beach, immediately prior to or immediately after surfing, the skirt or wrap around being formed with a combination of waterproof panels and terry cloth towel-like panels with multiple pockets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The sport of surfing is enjoyed by millions of surfers world wide. It is a year round sport, even in areas which experience winter-like weather. Further, even in those areas of moderate to tropic climates year round, the water temperature often dictates that the surfer wear a wet suit in order to maintain proper body temperature and to conserve heat. Figures would indicate that world wide, surfers require and wear wet suits during 80 percent of their surfing activities.
Typically a surfer will travel to the beach with their wet suit and surf board to determine the condition of the ocean and the size of the waves. If the surfer determines that surfing is feasible, the surfer must remove his clothing and don a wet suit prior to entering the water. Often times this can be accomplished in a vehicle, but more often than not, depending on access to the beach, the surfer must wrap a series of towels about their waist in order to remove their shorts and pants, and then with the towels still secured about their waist, must then put on the lower portion of the wet suit which is typically made of neoprene or other suitable man-made material, and which is designed to form fit the body, therefore making it more difficult to put on than a normal pair of shorts or trousers.
The reverse situation occurs when the surfer concludes his or her surfing activity. In this situation, if the ambient temperature is extremely cold, the surfer may opt to wear his wet suit home if his or her vehicle is in close proximity. In that situation, the surfer must only concern his or herself with covering the vehicle seat cushion to prevent it from becoming wet. Applicant's invention has application to this situation. However, the majority of the time, the surfer after concluding surfing activities desires to remove his wet suit while in close proximity to the beach and ocean. Again, in the past, this required the surfer to utilize a variety of towels wrapped about the waist to allow the surfer to remove the lower portion of the wet suit, dry off his torso, and then don his regular clothes, all while being wrapped in one or more towels.
While the procedure just described was acceptable to surfers, it was an unwieldy and cumbersome exercise requiring the surfer to transport not only his surfboard and wet suit, but a sufficient quantity of towels and a repository to place his street clothes in while surfing, and a repository to place the dampened wet suit after surfing.
Applicant has developed a garment in the form of a skirt or wrap which incorporates terrycloth or towel-like panels with panels of waterproof material, which may be worn about the waist to allow a surfer to don and remove the lower portion of his wet suit. The garment also contains sufficient pockets with closure to store valuables and street clothing while engaging in surfing activity and also serve as a repository for the damp wet suit when the surfing activity is concluded. The garment fits snugly about the surfer's waist and allows access to the lower portion of the wet suit beneath the garment.